Taking Tembe Kids on Safari with Thulani

Post by **Toko** » Sun Oct 25, 2015 1:38 pm

Heading for the swamp area, you can go along the southern fence and look for Suni in the Sandforest thicket.

A double electric fence with a small track inbetween for anti poaching patrols on quad bikes!

Post by **Toko** » Sun Oct 25, 2015 1:54 pm

Mfungeni Pan

One of only two pans in the South carrying some water (provided by Park management)

This couple is resident there!

And there is a red duiker running around at the far side.

Not much activity there this time, so off and towards the western side of the swamp, the only area in Tembe where rodas are not sandy tracks.

Post by **Toko** » Sun Oct 25, 2015 1:57 pm

Golden grass on the southern end of Muzi swamp.

A Citrus Swallowtail in the tall grass

Post by **Toko** » Sun Oct 25, 2015 2:14 pm

Once you have passed the air strip, the West swamp road goes through Closed Woodland above the swamp.

A small sandy track and dense bush, wher you don't see anithing which is not walking on the road

At the end of this road you can develop a momentum of its own going downhill, rather steep and the vehicle will lean towards non driver side.

umNula. Lovely Torchwood tree there!

Post by **Toko** » Sun Oct 25, 2015 2:38 pm

Down there, the swamp opens up and these little water spots are the hunting ground of a lion pride which is not around

Some distant elephants crossing over to the eastern side of the swamp.

This one still smelly, but the Longclaw does not mind. There are no resident vultures and hyenas, so smelly stuff scattered all over Tembe.

A bushbuck

Post by **Lisbeth** » Sun Oct 25, 2015 2:53 pm

What a pretty bushbuck $O/\$ $O/\$

The swamp area looks interesting, only a pity that there are no animals

You caught a nice butterfly

Post by **Toko** » Sun Oct 25, 2015 3:32 pm

Tembe palm-veld consists of Hyphaene coriacea and Phoenix reclinata and the herd arrived to feed on the Wild date palms.

They don't eat the leaves, but suck up the nutrients from the sap and then spit it out.

In P. reclinata there is an increased flow of sap to the flower heads just before the flowering season and that's when elephants like it.

This one snacks on a proper tree.

Post by **Toko** » Sun Oct 25, 2015 3:33 pm

quick sundowner and back to the lion bridge, the pride should be there by now!

Post by **Lisbeth** » Sun Oct 25, 2015 3:56 pm

Slyboots those ellies

Post by **Richprins** » Sun Oct 25, 2015 6:05 pm

Fascinating info again, Toks!

That bushbuck has very few markings!

Africa Wild